Our environments have a great influence on how we feel and behave and where we focus our energy.  This is especially true for children in our early childhood program environments.  If children are spending the waking hours of their childhoods in disorganized, unattractive places, this climate will affect what they are learning, how they behave, and who they become. Not only does it influence the children but the staff as well. Living many waking hours in stressful, disorganized, or dirty spaces can create stress and disharmony.

I have been working on a large children’s museum project where I am the educational consultant. I am supposed to help them focus on what is important to young children in a learning space and with developmental materials. The challenge was moving them from technology and entertainment to involvement and authentic experiences.  This made me think about spaces for staff. Look at the criteria we have for children and it can be applied to everyone’s learning or living space.

The environment is the foundation of any early childhood curriculum.  Most early childhood books on environments describe the basics of organizing a preschool classroom: defined activity areas and age-appropriate materials that are visible and accessible on low shelving.  Although these basics are important for a child-centered curriculum, quality places for childhood go beyond these basics.  The environment should also be intriguing and aesthetically pleasing.  It should be inviting and cultivate children’s curiosity and imagination.

Environments need to say YES!! This is a place for singing and understanding, a place to discover, to invent, and to dream, a place for listening and marveling. Environment speaks to children about what they can do, how and where they can do it and how they can work together.

As part of my teaching, I supervise college students in their classrooms. Recently, I visited a school that stood out for me. The moment you walked into the school, you felt a sense of welcome and you could tell that a great deal of thought went into the creation of their learning and living environment. For example, the adult restroom had soft nature sounds playing, a scented candle (not lit), hand lotion, a small inspirational book and other niceties. These little touches make huge differences in the atmosphere you create. I felt welcomed and valued just from this little experience.

Picture this environment

This is an excersise that you can use to begin to create environments that will nurture staff. Have a collection of photos from a variety of different environments. Have them represent a wide array of environmental aspects, including elements of nature, soft and hard textures, or man made from diverse cultures, contrasting colors, organization of space and lightening. Typically, I would use this activity in regards to the classroom environment but let’s consider how these elements apply to the living space of your staff?

Work in small groups to examine the pictures and answer the following questions.  Their discussion might generate a list of environmental considerations for planning spaces for children. When designing a space for the staff consider the same elements of the learning space as you would for the children

What does your environment say to staff?

Questions to consider:

1.       How are you going to create this kind of space for staff?

2.       Do you have a separate space for staff?

3.       What can you do?

4.       What can the staff do?

5.       What’s working in your environment?

6.       What’s not working in your environment?

7.       What do we need to consider when designing a staff lounge?

lighting, softness, high, low, comfort, temperature etc.

How do these environments make you feel?

How might you behave if you were in these environments?

What about the environment do you think contributes to your response?

How to establish a sense of belonging?

What do we want our staff lounge to say?

Community gathering – comfy, cozy, homelike environment

Think about a home away from home

We deserve to be surrounded by beautiful things

Placement and Value

Considerations for your staff space

Location:

Physical location (flow)

Visible boundaries –where an area begins and ends (pathways)

Work and sitting surfaces

Material storage and display

A mood or personality

Key Aesthetics:

Color – neutral on the walls, add color with fabric and paintings

Light- natural, full spectrum incandescent lightening http://www.naturallighting.com/articles.htm

Slows aging of the retina; reduces chance of skin cancer; improves general overall mood and feeling of well-being.

Reduces glare, eyestrain, headaches, fatigue, irritability, and thereby increases productivity.
Reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

How do we get or move in this direction?

Ideas for lighting

Whenever possible, have natural light in your lounge.

Hang things in windows that blow in the breeze, create rainbows, and cast shadows in the room.

Use safety lamps, dimmer switches, and other sources of indirect lighting throughout the environment.  In some places, use colored light bulbs or theatre gel to highlight areas or create special moods.

Light candles (in enclosed containers and our of children’s reach) for meals and naptime to signal special times and rituals of the day.

Place mirrors on walls, shelves, and counters to reflect light and images and create a spacious feeling.

Ideas for softness and pleasure

Third, at garage sales, flea markets, and secondhand stores; be on the lookout for things that will create interest, warmth, and a pleasure to the senses in your staff lounge.

Look for:

Straw mats

Throw rugs

Pillows, cushions, and beanbag chairs

Fabric of diverse textures, colors, thickness, and patterns from various cultures

Art prints and postcards

Nature photography and posters

Sculpture, pottery, natural baskets, and other forms of art

Lap quilts and soft blankets

Ideas from the natural world

Add twigs, rocks, shells, feathers, leaves, driftwood, marble, and other natural materials.

Include a variety of plants, trees, and flowers throughout the room.  Use hanging baskets to lower ceilings and add a cozy feeling. 

Add a small bubbling fountain or waterfall to your lounge (look for kits in nurseries and home stores).

Create a family friendship garden – parents bring a plant to contribute

A few closing words. We spend most of days at work and caring for children’s needs. There needs to be a place that is designed for staff to relax and recuperate. The staff give so much that it is important that we give back to them. The director/Administrator, the families and the board need to work with the staff in designing and creating a space for them. We know that if we care for and value the staff they will care for and value the children and the families that we all serve.

One last closing remark, as I was writing this, I realized the same criteria would apply to the directors office, make it your own, make it comfortable, make it special.